A U.S. Army veteran of World War II Robert L. “Bob” Turner, of Columbia, died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, at University Hospital in Columbia.
A visitation will begin at 1 p.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 28) at Wright-Baker-Hill Funeral Home, Brookfield and the family will receive friends from 6 until 8 in the evening; a Masonic Service will begin at 6 p.m. A memorial service led by VFW Post 5993 will be Saturday, March 1, at 11 a.m. at the VFW Hall in Ava. Burial will be in Ava Cemetery in Ava and military honors will be rendered by VFW Post 5993.
Memorials to the American Cancer Society may be left at or mailed to Wright-Baker-Hill Funeral Home, P.O. Box 496, Brookfield, MO 64628.
Robert Leonard, son of Chesley A. and Nora (Jennings) Turner, was born Dec. 3, 1924, in Noble in Ozark County. In 1948, he married Bobbie Rene Jones who preceded him in death in 1955; in 1977, he married Dr. Ann Wilson who preceded him in death in 1989.
Mr. Turner graduated from Thornfield High School in May of 1943, and graduated from Missouri State University in Springfield in 1953, with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II serving with The Mars Task Force in China, Burma, and India.
He had worked for a national pharmaceutical company with a territory north of the Missouri River, and worked as manager of the Animal Health Department of MFA, Inc. for six years. He then worked as national accounts manager for a company in California and was promoted to the regional sales manager over nine Midwest states. He later worked as director of regulatory legislation for Rochelle Laboratories in Washington, D.C. until his retirement in 1982.
He was a charter member and the first commander of VFW Post 5993 in Ava, and also the first member of Post 5993 to be elected as commander of the VFW 18th District. He was a life member of VFW Post 5993 in Ava, a member of the American Legion Post 112 in Ava, a life member of Military Order of the Cootie Post 15 in Lebanon, and life member of the Disabled American Veterans through Post 51 in Lebanon.
He was a member of the Brookfield Lodge #86, AM & FM, the Scottish Rite, Valley of Columbia, and Abou Ben Adhem Shrine of Springfield. He was also a member of B.P.O. Elks Lodge 594 in Columbia.
Survivors include four daughters, Carol Moore and husband, Robert, of Knoxville, Tenn., Nancy Turner, of Albuquerque, N.M., Linda Turner, of High Ridge, and Lori Fletcher and husband, Dennis, of Brookfield; four grandchildren, Rob Moore, of Asheville, N.C., Jodi Fletcher, of Kansas City, Duane Turner, of High Ridge, and Jill Fletcher, of Brookfield; a great-grandson, Trevor Peyton Turner, of High Ridge; and one brother, Clinton C. Turner and wife, Neva, of Ontario, Ore.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Judy Rene Turner; and two brothers, Orville M. Turner and Kenneth R. Turner.
